Jivanandana of Anandaraya Makhin (Study)

by G. D. Jayalakshmi | 2019 | 58,344 words

This page relates ‘inborn enemies of Jiva’ of the study on the Jivanandana (in English) which is a dramatic play written by Anadaraya Makhin in the 18th century. The Jivanandana praises the excellence of Advaita Vedanta, Ayurveda (medical science) and Dramatic literature as the triple agency for obtaining everlasting bliss.

Kāma, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada and Mātsarya are the six inborn enemies of a human being. A human being is obstructed variously–physically and mentally, in his efforts to raise himself above the mundane level and get liberated from the clutches of the cycle of rebirth. While diseases affect the physical body, the six inborn enemies of a human being that come into effect due to the influence of the guṇasrajas and tamas–are considered as obstacles in the progress of the evolvement of the Jīva. These six doṣas affect the human mind. The intelligent soul should always be aware of them and try to control them if they seem to overpower the mind.

Here in the play, as Jīva had immersed himself in deep meditation with Bhakti and was concentrating on the Brahman in the daharākāśa, this six-member enemy team had tried to disturb his state of Samādhi (V.14):

vijṣānaprahitena rājahatakenāsmannisargadviṣā
  yāvat sādhayituṃ rasaṃ kathamapi dhyānasya siddhyā kramāt |
svacchandena ca puṇḍarīkanagarīṃ gatvā manodvārataḥ
  sāmbasyaiva maheśvarasya dṛḍhayā bhaktyā''prasādāt sthitam ||

Thus by destroying Kāma and Lobha, by nullifying the efforts of Krodha, Moha and Mada; the dramatist makes Vijñāna let Matsara go back to the enemy camp.

By this it has been shown by the dramatist that these internal enemies (ariṣṭa varga) can be controlled and controlled absolutely; also when Kāma, Krodha and Lobha are controlled absolutely, the effect of the other three also gets nullified.

Note: Matsara is known to be ‘anya-śubha-dveṣaḥ’; hence, the dramatist. Ānandarāya Makhin being an army-chief himself, makes the minister Vijñāna to let him go and report to the enemy king.

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: